Gruyères is an Alpine town known for the production of one of the most famous Swiss cheeses and a medieval castle. The city has retained its historical character with a small but picturesque old town.
The name of the village comes from one of the most important Swiss noble families, Gruyères. In the 13th century, she built the Gruyères Castle on the hill, next to which there is a picturesque baroque castle garden. Today, the castle is the most important attraction of Gruyères and houses the local historical and ethnographic museum.
The buildings of the city have a charming, historic character with multi-story tenement houses decorated with colorful shutters. There are numerous cafes and restaurants on the ground floors.
The HR Giger Museum, a Swiss painter and graphic artist, the creator of the Alien character from the popular Hollywood blockbuster and the Oscar winner for the best visual effects for this production, is completely different in nature. The museum takes visitors to the world known from science-fiction movies and is an overview of Giger's career.
In Gruyères you can also visit the Tibet Museum with a collection of mandalas, Buddha sculptures and other items brought from that area. There is also a cheese factory here that continues the tradition of Gruyères cheese.
